The One Piece You Should Have In a Studio Unit

Sofa beds have long been the furniture piece of choice for one-room-living, but there is that tricky part of pushing away the coffee table, unfolding the bed mechanism, unfurling the bed linen, and putting everything away when you wake up in the morning. The better alternative: get a daybed.

IMAGE Acorn Daybed, price upon request, West Elm

For homeowners who live in a studio unit, a daybed could kill two birds with one stone, so to speak. A daybed is much like a sofa, but it has a wooden or upholstered wood frame, and is deep enough to accommodate a mattress. It could act as your stylish sofa, and once you’re ready to sleep, all you have to do is bring over your comforter and lie down.

But before you trade in your sofa bed, here’s what you should look for in a daybed:

A size to accommodate a twin mattress.

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IMAGE Metal Daybed, P6500 without mattress, Mandaue Foam

The ideal daybed should accommodate a twin-size mattress, meaning your daybed should be at least 39” deep and 75” wide (that’s approximately 1.0mtr x 1.90mtrs). This could be a bit of a challenge if your living/dining/sleeping studio can only fit a two-seater, so you better bring that measuring tape to the store!

Armrests.

IMAGE Hemnes Daybed, P25500, Furniture Source

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An armrest will make your bed look more like a sofa in the daytime. If you can afford it, go for one with upholstered armrests.

A generous backrest.

IMAGE Window Daybed, West Elm

A generous, low or high backrest will also add to its “sofa form” in the daytime.

IMAGE Teak Daybed, P41000, Komodo Teak

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The only thing is that most daybeds have wood or metal backrests, so layer on the pillows for added lounging comfort.

Space underneath.

IMAGE Miguel Nacianceno

Almost all daybeds have this roomy, empty space underneath, and this is a big plus in studio units. You can add closed baskets for your bed linen, or have one customized with a trundle bed, as seen in this daybed designed by Elle Uy for this home.